1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rear structures of vehicles, and more particularly, to techniques for protecting a rear wheel-driving motor and a fuel tank at the time of a rear-end collision.
2. Description of the Related Art
To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the invention provides a rear protection structure for a vehicle which is equipped with an engine and a rear wheel-driving motor each as a traveling-driving power source of the vehicle and in which the rear wheel-driving motor is arranged between right and left rear wheels of the vehicle, and a fuel tank for the engine and the rear wheel-driving motor are arranged adjacent to each other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein a rear suspension supporting the rear wheel-driving motor has a suspension member with an octothorpe-like shape, and the rear wheel-driving motor and an electric power supply line connected to the rear wheel-driving motor are arranged within a space enclosed by the suspension member.
In a second aspect of the invention, the electric power supply line is connected to the rear wheel-driving motor at a location opposite the fuel tank.
In a third aspect of the invention, the rear wheel-driving motor is supplied with electric power via the electric power supply line from a control unit for controlling operation of the rear wheel-driving motor, the control unit is arranged above the rear wheel-driving motor, and the electric power supply line is connected to the control unit at a location within the space enclosed by the suspension member.